Improvement in vessels for preserving butter and other substances



- J. G STAUNTON. Vessels fjor Pr eservingButter and other Substances.

Patented Jfany 3, 1865.

' min was; 1 6 7 In Vania? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. GALUSHA STAUNTON, OF BUFFALO, NEW.YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN VESSELS FOR PRESERVING BUTTER AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,763, dated January 3, 1865 antedated April 3, 1862.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. GALUSHA SrAUNroN, now of the city of Buffalo and State'of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fruit, Vegetable, and Flesh Preserving Box, Can, or Vessel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and use thereof,

and all kinds of wooden-ware, for the purposes and in the manner herein described.

I have represented by drawings several kinds of articles made of wood with my improvement; but I wish it understood that my improvement is applicable not only to such kinds or forms as are represented, but to all kinds and forms of wooden boxes and vessels which are to be made air-tight and used for preserving articles or things subject to decay, loss, or change by exposure to the air.

In Fig. 1, at A, is represented a box made of pine wood. It has an internal lining or enamel of paraffine, as represented at b, which renders the box air-tight. Such box, can, or vessel may be made of any desirable form, size, or shape, and of any kind of wood, and when made and ready for the application of the paraffine-enamel, the paraffine to be used for the purpose is reduced to a liquidhy hemat.

and pour d in the box or vessel in a manner to cover the en ire inner surface, and then quickly poured out. A portion of the paraffine will adhere to the surface of the wood, and will quickly harden upon exposure to the air, and form at hin, smooth lining, crust, or enamel over the surface of the wood. The liquid paraffine thus poured or spread upon the wood,flows as freely as water, and will fill the interstices in the surface of the wood, and

by quickly hardening it forms a complete thin, smooth enamel or lining, which is insoluble in water and impervious to air, acid, or alkali.

The inside of the cover or lid of the box or other article may be separately dipped in the melted paraffine, or it may be coated with a fine brush. \Vhen the cover or lid is put on, the paraftine on the edge of the'box, as well as that on the edge of the cover, should be warmed enough to become plastic, so that the paraffiue on the cover will coalesce with that on the edge of the box, and thus make a perfect case, shell, or lining of paraffine. This paraffine lining being tasteless, colorless, and inodorous, as well as insoluble in water, and impenetrable to air, acid, odor, alkali, &c., it makes the best and most perfect kind of application to wooden vessels and boxes of every description, for the preservation of all kinds of fruits, vegetables, flesh, oysters, butter, tea, ground coffee, mustard, spices, &c.

Sets of boxes or drawers for tea, ground coffee, spices, &c., may be made on the principle of my improvement specially for family use, which will be found to be convenient and useful. Such is the impenetrable nature of paraffivne that all the oder and fragrance which would naturally escape from those articles if kept in ordinary wooden boxes or papers will be retained, and such-like articles will be pre-' served in all their original strength and fragrance for any desirable length of time.

Fruit, vegetables, meat, &e., put up in these boxes and set into an ice-house at a tempera ture of 32 Fahrenheit may be kept with all their original fragrance and flavor for any desirable length of time. It makes a beautiful air-tight and indestructible lining for coffins. There is nothing which will surpass it for this purpose.

This parafline lining may be washed and cleaned with water and sal-soda; but care should be taken not to scratch or mar it with hard substances; and as it melts at 130 Fahrenheit, care should be taken not to subject it to that degree of heat. If by any means the lining should get bruised or cracked, it can be easily mended by the application of liquid paraffine to the bruised part. It is entirely harmless if taken into the stomach. It is indestructible and undiminishing in its nature, and hence may be used over and over lining or enamel of paraffine or equivalent,

again and year after year for the same purpose.

As a new article of manufacture, a box, can, or vessel for preserving fruit, vegetables, meat, butter, spices, and the like, constructed of wood and made air-tight by an internal substantially as described.

J. GALUSHA STAUNTON.

Witnesses:

A. G. HATCH, E. B. FoRBUsH. 

